Engine mount assemblies for resiliently supporting an engine on a frame of a motor vehicle have been used in the past. A typical example of an engine mount assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,896, issued May 8, 1973 in the neme of Fehlberg. This patent discloses an engine mount assembly including a bushing and bracket having a plurality of cooperating opposed walls for providing separate spaces in which rubber is molded and assembled in compression to provide a resilient engine mount. The bushing and bracket cooperate to limit relative movement of the engine with respect to the frame in all directions.
The problem with such engine mount assemblies is that the resilient member and brackets have to be specially formed with ribs and grooves. Further, the engine mount includes inner bracket stiffening members resulting in numerous parts and added expense. The fabrication of such an engine mount assembly may be very costly and time consuming.
The subject invention is an engine mounting device for resiliently supporting an engine on a frame including a first plate member for connection to the frame. A second plate member is U-shaped and has flanges at each end of the U-shaped portion for connection to the first plate member and the frame. A tubular means is disposed between and spaced from the first plate member and the second plate member. A resilient means interconnects the tubular means and the first and second plate members for resiliently supporting the tubular means between the first and second plate members. The first plate member includes a plurality of raised ribs laterally spaced one from the other and forms an arch-shaped opening for receiving a first end of the resilient means to prevent lateral movement of the resilient means. The resilient means has a second end arcuate and complimentary to the U-shaped portion of the second plate member to prevent lateral and radial movement of the resilient means.
Accordingly, the subject invention provides a much simpler and less expensive mounting assembly to manufacture. Further, there are fewer parts involved.